BBL Trophy Final set for Emirates Arena

14/02/2013

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One of the biggest events in British basketball will take place in Scotland for the first time next month at the stunning new £113 million Emirates Arena.

The British Basketball League (BBL) Trophy Final, will bring together two of the top basketball sides in the country on Saturday 9 March. The BBL Trophy Final has been played out south of the border for the last 25 years but organisers have taken the decision to bring the event to the Emirates Arena as the sport’s popularity continues to grow in Scotland.

The match will be contested by the winners of the semi-finals between Cheshire Phoenix v One Health Sharks Sheffield and Worcester Wolves v Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders with tickets available from www.theticketfactory.com or by calling 0844 3388 000.

While no Scottish team will be involved in the final, the growing success and popularity of the Glasgow Rocks will ensure demand for tickets is high. The Glasgow Rocks relocated to the Emirates Arena in October 2012 with their first home match against the Newcastle Eagles being played in front of 5,000 fans – a record for attendance for a home fixture.

Scottish basketball will, however, take centre stage prior to the main event as the City of Edinburgh Kings and Clark Eriksson Falkirk Fury battle it out for the Always Ballin BBL Challenge Shield. There will also be performances and appearances from the fantastic BBL Cheerleaders, the All Star Acrobatic Dunkers and FOXY the BBL mascot.

BBL Chief Operating Officer Andy Webb said: "The BBL is really excited about bringing the Trophy Final to Scotland for the first time. There is huge interest in basketball throughout Scotland right now and we felt that it was the right time to bring this historic BBL cup competition to the fantastic new Emirates Arena in Glasgow.

“BBL finals are always great family occasions and we are sure that all those in attendance next month will enjoy the very best of British basketball whilst having a memorable day out."

Chair of Glasgow Life and the Executive Member for the Commonwealth Games, Councillor Archie Graham, said: “Basketball now has a fitting home in Scotland at the Emirates Arena and we are looking forward to staging the British Basketball League Trophy Final next month.

“The Glasgow Rocks have firmly established themselves as one of the top sides in the BBL, with their first ever home game attracting almost 5,000 fans. Since then they have gone from strength to strength bringing basketball to a new fanbase in the east of the city, which is great news for the sport ahead of the BBL Trophy Final.”

General Manager of the Glasgow Rocks, Daniel Bajwoluk, said: “Having the BBL Trophy final at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow is a clear indication that basketball is on the rise in Scotland. From a Glasgow Rocks standpoint, we have had record crowd numbers throughout the 2012/13 season and we are hoping to continue to build this fanbase in the years to come.

“Unfortunately, we will not be in the Trophy Final to contest for silverware in March, nonetheless, I am sure that the Scottish public will come out in their thousands to witness what should be a great show and some of the very best basketball that Britain has to offer.”

Further information on the event and the current BBL Trophy standings can be obtained at www.bbl.org.uk/trophyfinal